1 C1 idiomatic formal
To find or discover something unexpectedly, without having specifically searched for it.
"While sorting through her grandfather's papers, she lit upon a collection of wartime letters."
inseparable
light upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
To discover or encounter something by chance; a more formal or literary variant of 'light on'.
In plain English
To find or notice something you weren't really looking for.
What does "light upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
For the eyes or attention to settle on something, noticing it among other things.
"His gaze lit upon the small portrait hanging in the corner of the room."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To land or settle gently upon something — extended figuratively to the mind or eye settling on something discovered.
Actually means
To find or notice something you weren't really looking for.
Usage tip
Literary and somewhat archaic. Interchangeable with 'light on' but slightly more elevated in tone. Favoured in written English over spoken. ESL learners are more likely to encounter this in reading than need to produce it.
Words that pair with "light upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
idea solution passage fact truth discovery
How to conjugate "light upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
light upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lights upon
he/she/it
Past simple
lighted upon
yesterday
Past participle
lighted upon
have + pp
-ing form
lighting upon
continuous
Hear "light upon" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "light upon" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "light upon"
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